[TuckersMom]

It's been 3 weeks and I thought I was making progress with Tuckers Separation aniexty issues, but we are not.

Doesn't matter now if someone else is home even, just will bark and whine. Getting very discouraged. I feel like a prisoner in my home with no bail out in the forseeable future.

Tried stuffed kongs, no go. leave my worn clothes for my smell, no go. Exercise prior to leaving, no go. He is not in a crate, just in the house and he's not a chewer as of yet. I had a trainer come to the house last week for tips and they were good ones, but.........She had said that she thought he would be good if we could get calming within the first 15 minutes.

The most I have left him for was 26 minutes, that was after a 9 minute stint and then an 11 minute, different days of course. I tape him to see exactly what he does while I am gone down the road.

If I were making progress, I would feel better. I do have to go back to work in 1 month and was hoping this would not be an issue. I was also told he is not a candidate for day care.

Anyhoo, anyone use with good results a natural aniexity med? Thinking on using this along with the training.

Thanks

 

[Sibe]

You could try Rescue Remedy.

Have you tried desensitizing him? When does he start to get anxious, does he know as soon as you put shoes on or grab the keys or whatever? If he starts getting anxious with even that then you can get ready like you're going to go somewhere, but then just go back to whatever you were doing before. Wait for him to calm down then take your shoes off, put the keys away, etc. Do that 10-15x per day until he stops getting anxious about it. Probably take a week or two. At that point, get ready to go and walk out the front door. Then walk right back in. Do that until he stops getting anxious. Then start gradually increasing the amount of time you are outside the house, by about 1 minute at a time until he is good with 10 minutes. Then increase another 5 minutes at a time. Don't increase until he's good with the current duration and not anxious.

Having a crate might really help him. He'd have a safe spot to lay and wait for you. First make the crate positive by giving him treats there, even feeding him there, having him sleep there, etc. Crates are nice calm, happy places.

 

[TuckersMom]

Thanks Sibe for the info. I just ordered some rescue remedy.

I am doing the desensitizing and will keep with it, but he doesn't seem to get anxious while I am in the house getting ready to leave. It's only after I am out the door for 20 seconds. So I will start from there, 10 seconds come back, then keep streching it soon. Want to keep it up with the keys, putting coat on to make sure this is not the start. Unfortunalty I don't have months to work on this, I let myself about 7 weeks before going back to work, and being a new dog owner, I am realizing that I will need more time.

He is in the crate at night and is fine. But during the day he gets anxious, stressed when he is confined to one room with a gate, or a large pen etc. Once we took those types of things away and let him have free space to move about, he is soooo much better with everything, training, cats etc. He and the cats are now fine, he is doing very good with obedience training, no in house accidents etc. I am afraid that the crate during the day is going to be detrimental to his night time habits.

 

[3doglady]

If the anxiety meds don't work out, you could look at a Thundershirt as an option.